Apparatus for and method of winding wire



Sept. 10, 1940. R. E. WALSH Er AL APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF WINDINGWIRE Filed Oct. 5, 1957 3 Sheets$heet l INVENTORS ymona E We,

Fa. 25h. Freda Va n Valkcn bury.

5 Y MZZILaJn D.Pi,erso1z.

ATTORN EY Sept, 10, 1940.

R. E. WALSH ET AL 2214,3315

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF WINDING WIRE Filed 0st. 5, 1957 sSheets-Sheet 2 42 T T- t r 20 films i' a 62 h \l; 31 H 45 A .r g F w wfz72. 2 30 0 73 0 s05 Go I:. O Q O i.

30 3H1 Z B4 r7; 3o 3a, 4

ATTORNEY;

p 1 40 R. E. WALVSH ET AL. 2,214,333

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF WINDING WIRE Filed Oct. 5, 1937 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS Ra. mona E Walsh. Fred 6- Vd n VaZkehJ/ur BYMZZLam D. PLQT'SOTZ.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFOR AND METHOD OF WIND- ING WIRE Fairfield, Conn.

Application October 5, 1937, Serial No. 167,366

29 Claims.

This invention relates to wire spooling mechanisms, and moreparticularly to an improved spooler for use with a high speedwiredrawing machine.

In the spooling of wire from a wiredrawing machine, it is desirable thatthe receiving spool be run at a constant circumferential speed from thestart to the finish of the spooling operation in order to obtain auniform wire tension and tightness of winding. Many spoolers have beenprovided with devices for gradually reducing the rotative speed of thespool as the spool fills up with wire, but most of these devices werecontrolled by parts having mechanical contact with the wire, whichresulted in the soiling, discoloration, scratching or roughening of thewire surface, and lack of uniformity in winding.

By means of the present invention, the above and other disadvantageshave been avoided. This has been accomplished by means of an electriceye controlled mechanism whereby the wire will be uniformly wound at thedesired tension and tightness upon the spool without requiring anymechanical contact with the wire.

One object of this invention is to provide a spooler of the above naturehaving electrical means responsive to the electric eye for retarding therotative speed of the spool in correspondence with the diameter of thewire being wound upon the spool.

A further object is to provide a device of the above nature in which theelectrical means is adapted to intermittently adjust a variable speedcontrol mechanism drivingly connected to the spool.-

A still further object is to provide an improved spooling mechanism ofthe above type which will be relatively simple in construction,inexpensive to manufacture, readily manipulated, compact, ornamental inappearance, and very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in-view there have been illustrated on theaccompanying drawings three forms in which the invention may beconveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a spooling mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a side View showing a modified form of supporting bracketadjusting means.

Fig. 5 shows a modified form of drive arrangement.

Referring now to the drawings in which like reference characters denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral it)indicates a wire received from a wiredrawing machine and delivered to avariable wire tensioning mechanism ll including a capstan drum or finaldrawing roll Ha. for drawing the wire through the last die of thewiredrawing machine at a substantially constant speed, as fullydescribed in Patent No. 1,935,726, issued November 21, 1933, to WilliamD. Pierson, for a Variable wire tensioning device. The wire then passesupwardly over a resilient device, not shown, and then downwardly througha pair of transversely reciprocating wire-guiding fingers IE to a spoolI3.

In order to supply driving power to the spooler mechanism, provision ismade of an electric motor M (see Fig. 2), preferably the same motorwhich operates the wiredrawing mechanism. A belt I5 leads from a pulley16 on the shaft ll of the motor I 4, and runs over a pulley E8 on ahorizontal shaft H], which is connected by interior mechanism, notshown, to an elevated shaft 20 extending out of the machine. Mounted onthe shaft 20 is a pulley 2i which is connected to a pulley 22 by a belt23 to drive said pulley in synchronism with the wiredrawing mechanism ofthe machine.

The driven pulley 22 is connected to a driving shaft 24 of a well knownform of variable speed mechanism/such as the Reeves, wherein anothershaft 25 is arranged to be driven from the shaft 26 by what is termedinfinite speed regulation, as distinguished from speed regulation bysuccessive steps, such as by cone pulleys, etc. This mechanism includesa pair of op positely facing conical-faced discs 26 and 27, which arerotatively secured to the shaft 2 and also axially slidable thereon, anda pair of similar opposed conical-faced discs 28 and 29 mounted on theshaft 25. The discs 25 and 21 are respectively secured to the lower ends301) and 3lb of a pair of shift levers 3B and 3!, which levers arepivoted at 32 and 33, respectively, to stationary parts of themechanism. The upper ends of the shift levers 30 and 3! are secured tothe discs 28 and 29 at 30a and a. By this construction, rocking of thelevers 30 and 3i upon their pivots 32 and 33 in one direction will drawtogether the discs 26 and 2'? and separate the discs 28 and 29simultaneously, and reversely actuate these discs when the levers 3i]and 3t are rocked in the other direction. The levers 30 and 3B areadapted to be rocked by means of a rotatable threaded rod 34 having apair of reversely threaded portions 35 and 36,

to which the upper lever ends 37 and 38 are threadedly secured. By meansof this construction, the rotation of the rod 34 will rock the levers 30and 3| simultaneously in opposite di-' 5 rections to actuate the discs26, 21 and 28, 29,

which are drivingly connected by a belt 39 having a plurality of bevelended cross-bars 4|] secured thereon, said cross-bars being adapted toengage the inclined faces of the oppositely facing 10 discs in drivingcontact therewith, thereby producing an infinite, smooth and gradualvariation in relative speed between the shafts 24 and 25.

The shaft 25 has a large pulley 4| connected to 15 one of its endsand isdrivingly connected to a pulley 42 by a belt 43. The pulley 42 issecured upon a spool spindle 44, by which the spool l3 may be rotated towind wire thereon at the speed the wire is being delivered thereto fromthe wire- 20 drawing machine. By means of the above described spooldriving mechanism the speed of the spool l3 may be infinitely varied byrotation of the threaded rod 34 to maintain the circumferential speed ofthe wire on the spool in corre- 25 spondence with the speed of the wirebeing fed thereto.

In order to automatically rotatethe threaded rod 34, an electric motor45 is provided, which is of the well known reversible type, havingbuilt- 30 in reduction gears which are connected by a shaft 56 to asprocket wheel ll. A chain 68 drivingly connects the sprocket wheel 41to another sprocket wheel 59, secured upon an extending end of the rod34. By this arrangement, actua- 35 tion of the motor 45 will rotate therod 33, as desired, to vary the speed of the spool l3.

To intermittently control the actuation of the motor 45 in accordancewith the amount of wire wound upon the spool, provision is made of anelectric eye device now to be described- This device includes aphoto-electric cell 50. mounted upon a bracket 5| and arranged inthe'path of a beam of light 52 from a source of light in a box 53, alsomounted on the bracket 5|. The bracket 5| is vertically adjustable toposition the beam of light 52 tangent to the circumference of the wireon the spool I3. Through suitable cooperating electrical controlsdisposed in casings 54 and 55, the photo-electric cell 50 will causeenergization of the motor 45 to vary the rotative speed of the spool |3when the beam of light 52 is interrupted by the wire on the spool as thediameter of the layers of wire on the spool increases. The electricalcontrol apparatus in the casings 54 and 55 are similar to the controland amplifier units 13 and 9 described in the Patent 2,108,410 to W. R.Perry, for Speed control mechanism, dated February 15, 1938. Referenceshould be had to this patent for a more complete disclosure thereof.After a short operation of the motor 45, the bracket 5| will be loweredslightly, again establishing an uninterrupted beam of light 52 v andstopping the motor 55, the screw 34 being adjusted during this intervalsufliciently to produce the proper variation in the speed of the spooll3. The bracket 5| is carried upon the upper end of a plunger 56 whichis provided at its lower end with a roller 51 adapted to ride uponre-establishment of the light beam 52 stops the motor 45 after anadjustment in speed has been made.

Operation v In operation, assuming that the machine has been initiallyadjusted with the light beam 52 tangent to the periphery of the spindle44 of the empty spool l3, and that the wire ID has been passed throughthe guiding fingers |2 and frictionally or otherwise connected to saidspool, the motor. It will be started in the usual manner to operate thewiredrawing machine. At the same time aswitch 66, preferably disposed ina box 61, will be manually closed to connect the electric circuits ofthe control devices to the main line conductors 68 and 69. The closingof the switch 66 will cause a lamp filament HIV in the box 53 to becomeincandescent and the beam of light 52 therefrom will be reflected by amirror past the lower peripheral edge of the spool |3 to thephoto-electric cell 50. The impinging of the beam of light 52 upon thecell 50 will cause it to actuate the controls in the casings 5d and 55to maintain the circuit, including the motor 45, in open condition.

The lamp filament I is connected to the switch 66 by a pair ofcondutcors l2 and 13, and the photo-electric cell 50 is connected to thecontrols in the casing 55 by conductors M and T5. The controls in thecasing 55 are connected to conductors l2 and 13 by conductors 16 and TI,and tothe controls in the casing 55 by conductors l8 and 9. Provision isalso made of a pair of conductors 8|] and 8| which connect the motor 45versing switch 82 is also provided and is connected to the motorcontrols in the casing 55 by conductors 83 and 8 3.

During the operation of the wiredrawing machine, the spool I3 will becontinuously driven to wind up the wire received from the drawingmachine. When a suflicient number of layers of wire have been wound uponthe spool |3- so that the diameter has increased enough to interrupt thebeam of light 52, the circuit of the motor 65 will be closed by thecooperating action of the controls in the casings 54 and 55, and themotor 45 will then momentarily operate to rotate the threaded rod 35.

The rotation of the rod 34 will actuate the variable speed mechanism, asabove described, to slightly decrease the rotative speed of the spoolspindle M and at the same time will slightly rotate the cam 58 by meansof the intermeshing pinion BI and the gear 60. The rotation of the cam58 will permit the bracket to move downwardly by the action of gravity,and this action will continue until the beam of light 52 passes belowthe outer layer of wire on the spool l3, and again impinges upon theelectric eye 5|], whereupon the motor 45 will again be stopped by theactuation of the electrical controls in the casings 54 and 55. It hasbeen found in practice in one instance that an increase of diameter ofthe layers of wire on the spool |3 of .005 of an inch .Will be suficientto cause the above mentioned in- -with the controls in the casing 55. Amotor reterruption of the light beam 52. After the spool l3 has beenfilled, the mechanism will be brought back to its initial position forthe filling of a second empty spool merely by reversing the motor 45 byactuation of the foot-operated switch 82, and allOWing said motor tooperate until the cam 58, the light beam 52, and the variable speedmechanism are again in their initial positions, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5, the pulley [6 ofthe driving motor [4 is directly connected by a belt 85 to the pulley 22of the driving shaft 24 of the variable speed mechanism. Another belt 86connects the pulley 22 to the pulley I8 which, in this instance, isarranged to be connected to the shaft l9 extending into the wiredrawingmachine by a suitable clutch 8'! operable by a handle 88. By the use ofthe arrangement shown in Fig. 5, the variable speed mechanism togetherwith the electric eye control may be reset to its initial startingposition without operating the wiredrawing machine, the shaft l9 beingdisconnected from its driving pulley l8 by a releasing actuation of theclutch 87.

In accordance with the modification shown in Fig. 4, the bracket 5|which supports the electric eye apparatus is carried by the upper arm 89of a bell-crank lever 90, the lower arm M of said lever being actuatedby the cam 58 through a roller 92 resting thereon and carried by saidarm 9!. It will be undertsood that the rotation of the cam 58 willpermit the lever 90 to be swung by gravity in a counter-clockwisedirection to lower the bracket 5l,'and with it, the photo-electric cell50 and the light box 53. Preferably, the box 53 may be mounted on thebracket Si in such a manner that the beam of light 52 from the filamentill will shine directly upon the cell 50 Without the use of a mirror Il.

' It'will be understood that, within the scope of this invention, theterm photo-electric cell employed herein includes devices employingselenium or other suitable substances, as the light sensitive element.

It will also be understood that while the interruption andreestablishment of the beam of light 52 has been herein described ascausing the motor 45 to start and stop respectively, it is within thescope of this invention to allow the motor 35 to operate continuouslythroughout the spooling and to merely have its speed increased anddecreased momentarily by the interruption of the beam and thereestablishment thereof. In other words, the control motor will becontinuously energized and the energization varied by being alteredperiodically by controlling current from the photocell controlledcircuit to cause the variablespeed drive to be regulated in accordancewith the changing diameter of the package. This will permit a somewhatmore uniform control of the operation which is especially advantageousfor small wire, which is operated at high speed. This construction willlessen the possibility of breakage of wire by the stresses due to jerksand impulses incident to the starting and stopping of the motor.

While there have been disclosed in this specification several forms inwhich the invention may be embodied, it is to be understood that theseforms are shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that theinvention is not to be limited to the specific disclosures but may bemodified and embodied in various other forms without departing from itsspirit. In short, the invenr tion includes all the modifications andembodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, andfor which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool at variable speed including electrically operated means to adjustsaid variable speed mechanism, and photo-electrical controlling meansresponsive to the thickness of the layer of wire wound on said spool tointermittently actuate said electrically operated means as the wirebuilds up on said spool.

2. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool at variable speed including electrically operated means to adjustsaid variable speed mechanism, and photo-electrical controlling meansresponsive to the thickness of the layer of wire being received on thespool to intermittently actuate said electrical adjusting b means anddecrease the speed of the spool in accordance with the increaseddiameter of said wire.

3. In a Wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool at variable speed including electrically operated means to adjustsaid variable speed mechanism, a photo-electric cell, a lamp forthrowing a beam of light on said cell adjacent the periphery of thelayer of wire wound on said spool for controlling said electricaladjusting means, and means to slow down the speed of said mechanismresponsive to the successive interruptions of said beam as the wirebuilds up on said spool.

4. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool at variable speed including electrical means to adjust saidvariable speed mechanism, a photo-electric cell, means to cause a beamof light to pass in proximity to the wire wound on said spool andimpinge upon said cell, and means responsive to the interruption of saidbeam of light to actuate said electrical adjusting means, and means tomove said cell and light producing apparatus so that the path of saidbeam will again strike said cell to stop the operation of said speedadjusting means.

5. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool including a variable speed mechanism having a rotatable adjustingmember, an electric motor to rotate said member, electrical controls forsaid motor, and means including photo-electric means responsive to theintermittent interruption of a beam of light by the wire wound on saidspool to actuate said controls.

6. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool including a variable speed mechanism having a rotatable adjustingmember, an electric motor to rotate said member, electrical controls forsaid motor, a source producing a light beam, means responsive to theinterruption of a beam of light by wire wound on said spool to actuatesaid controls, and means actuated by theoperation of said member toreestablish the interrupted beam of light after a predetermined amountof wire has been wound on said spool.

7. In a Wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool including a variable speed mechanism having a rotatable adjustingmember, an electric motor to rotate said member, electrical controls forsaid motor, a photo-electric cell, a source of light arranged to directa beam of light across the axis of the spool adjacent its periphery andupon said cell, said cell being responsive to the interruption of saidbeam of light by wire wound on the spool to actuate said controls andcause said motor to temporarily operate said speed adjusting member.

8. In a wire spooling mechanism, mechanism to rotate a wire receivingspool including a variable speed mechanism having a rotatable adjustingmember, an electric motor to rotate said member, electrical controls forsaid motor, a photoelectric cell, a source of light arranged to direct abeam of light across the axis of the spool adjacent its periphery andupon said cell, said cell being arranged to actuate said controls whenthe beam of light is interrupted by wire wound on the spool to causeoperation of said motor, and means responsive to the operation of saidspeed adjusting .member to move said cell and said source of light as aunit to re-establish the beam therebetween.

9. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire wound thereon,means to rotate said spool including a variable speed mechanism, andphoto-electrical control means responsive to the added wire on theperiphery of said spool to actuate said variable speed mechanism todecrease the speed of said spool in accordance with the increaseddiameter of the wire wound on said spool.

10. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire woundthereon, means to rotate said spool including a variable speedmechanism, a rotatable member to adjust said variable speed mechanism,means to rotate said member, and photo-electrical control meansresponsive to the addition of wire to said spool to actuate saidadjusting member rotating means to decrease the spool speed inaccordance with the increase in diameter of the wire wound on saidspool.

11. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire woundthereon, means to rotate said spool including a variable'speedmechanism, a rotatable member to adjust said variable speed mechanism, amotor to rotate said member, and photo-electric means responsive to theaddition of wire to said spool to cause a temporary actuation of saidmotor to reduce the speed of said I spool to produce a substantiallyconstant peripheral speed of winding.

12. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire woundthereon, means to rotate said spool including a variable speedmechanism, a rotatable member to adjust said variable speed mechanism,means to rotate said member, photoelectrical control means responsive tothe added wire to said spool to actuate said adjusting member rotatingmeans, adjustable means to support said control means, andmean srotatably connected to said rotatable member to adjust said supportingmeans.

13. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire woundthereon, means to rotate said spool including a variable speedmechanism, a rotatable member to adjust said variable speed mechanism, amotor to rotate said member, an electric eye device responsive to theaddition of wire on said spool to cause actuation of said motor, anadjustable support for said electric eye device, and means rotatablydriven by said rotatable member to automatically adjust said support.

14. In combination, a rotatable spool adapted to have wire woundthereon, means to rotate said spool including'a variable speedmechanism, means to adjust said variable speed mechanism including arotatable threaded member, a motor for rotating said member, an electriceye for controlling said motor, a source of light for throwing a beam oflight upon said electric eye, means to support said light source withits beam of light in position to be interrupted by the addition of wireon said spool for starting said motor and operating said threaded memberto adjust said variable speed mechanism, and means actuated by theoperation of said motor to cause said beam of light to be moved beyondsaid added wire and automatically stop said motor.

15. In a wire spooling mechanism, means to rotate a spool to wind wirethereon, means to vary the speed of said spool-rotating means includingan electric eye device having a beam of light arranged to besuccessively interrupted and re-established by the wire built up on saidspool, the interruptions of said beam causing temporary operations ofsaid speed-varying means.

16. In a wire spooling mechanism, means to rotate a spool to wind wirethereon, means to vary the speed of said spool rotating means includinga' motor and an electric eye device having a beam of light arranged tobe interrupted by the wire added to said spool, and means operated bysaid motor to re-establish said beam of light and stop the speed varyingmeans until the beam has been again interrupted by the further additionof layers of wire to said spool.

1,7. In a wire spooling mechanism, means to wind wire upon a spool,means to vary the speed of said winding means including an electric eyedevice and a beam of light adapted to impinge on said electric eye, saidbeam of light being intermittently varied by the passage thereinto ofthe wire wound on said spool, the variations in said beam causingtemporary fluctuations in said speed varying means.

18. In a wire spooling mechanism, means to rotate a Wire receivingspool, means to vary the speed of rotation of said spool including amotor, photo-electric means for controlling the speed of said motor,means to cause a beam of light to impinge on said photo-electric means,and means to intermittently vary the amount of said beam to vary theeffect on said motor of said photo-electric means.

19. In a device of the character described, means for winding materialunder tension into a package; means for supplying a continuous windablematerial to the Winding means; and photoelectric means controlled by thevariation of the radial dimension of the packages on the winding meansfor controlling the tension in the material, said control means beingfree of physical contact with the material.

20. In a device of the character described, means for feeding acontinuous windable material; means for winding the material into apackage; and means controlled by variation in radial thickness of thewound package for controlling the ratio between the rate of feeding thematerial to the winding means and the rate of winding the material, saidlast-named means being adjacent but spaced from the winding means andfree of physical contact therewith.

21. In a device of the character described, means for winding materialunder tension into a package; means for supplying a continuous windablematerial tothe winding means; and photoelectric means including a beamof light for directly impingnig upon the package itself controlled bythe variation of the radial dimension of the package on the windingmeans for controlling the tension in the material, said control meansbeing free of physical contact with the material.

22. In a device of the character described, means for feeding acontinuous windable material, means for winding the material into apackage; and means responsive to the interruption of a beam of light bysaid package controlled by variation in radial thickness of the woundpackage for controlling the ratio between the rate of feeding thematerial to the winding means and the rate of winding the material, saidmeans being adjacent but spaced from the winding means and free ofphysical contact therewith.

23. For controlling a material-reeling mechanism, torque-applying meansfor driving a reel, means for varying the torque-developed by saidmeans, a source of radiant energy adapted to emit radiations across saidreel, photo-responsive means associated with said source of radiantenergy and said reel sensitive to change in radius of material on saidreel, and means controlled by said photo-responsive means for actuatingsaid torque-varying means.

24. In a control system for material-reeling mechanisms, a reel,torque-applying means connected to drive said reel, means for varyingthe torque developed by said means, controlling means for saidtorque-varying means, a light source adapted to emit light across saidreel, photoelectric means sensitive to changing interception of lightimpinging thereon caused by change in radius of material on the reel,and means connecting said photoelectric means and said controlling meansadapted to actuate said controlling means in response to impulses fromsaid photoelectric means.

25. In a control system for a material-rewinding mechanism and drive,means for varying the torque of the rewind drive, driving means for saidtorque-varying means, controlling means for said driving means, a lightsource adapted to direct rays of light through 'a space to be occupiedby material build-up on the rewind mechanism, photoelectric meanssensitive to changing interception of the rays of light impingingthereon caused by change in radius of material on the rewind mechanism,and electrical means connecting said photoelectric means and saidcontrolling means, said photoelectric means and electrical connectingmeans adapted to actuate said controlling means in response to change inradius of the material.

26. In a device of the character described, means for winding materialinto a package; means for positively feeding a continuous windablematerial to the winding means; and photoelectric means cooperable withthe changing winding surface of the package for controlling the ratiobetween the rate of feeding and the rate of winding of the windablematerial, whereby the tension of the material in the package iscontrolled so as to form a package in which the tension is maintaineduniform.

27. In a device of the character described, means for winding materialinto a package; means for feeding a continuous windable material to thewinding means; and electric means positioned adjacent the bobbin butspaced therefrom and controlled directly by the changing position of thesurface of the package in accordance with the changing radial thicknessof the package during the winding for controlling the ratio between therate of feeding and the rate of winding of the material, wherebyphysical contact of the control means with the material is avoided.

28. In the method of producing a package having a predetermined tensionin the material, the steps of positively feeding the material toward atake-up means, taking it up to form a package, and controlling byphoto-electric means throughout the formation of the package the ratiobetween the rate of feed and the rate of take up in a predeterminedmanner directly in accordance with the thickness of the package andwithout physical contact between the material and the control means.

29. In a wiredrawing machine, a capstan drum driven at substantiallyconstant speed for pulling wire through a wiredrawing die, a spool forwinding said wire as it is received from said capstan, and means forautomatically varying the angular velocity of said spool to maintain aconstant peripheral winding speed of said wire, including a source ofradiant energy adapted to emit radiations across said periphery of thewire on said spool photo-responsive means sensitive to the interruptionof said radiations by the periphery of the spool as the spool fills up,and means controlled by said photo-responsive means for actuating saidangular spool velocity varying means.

RAYMOND E. WALSH. FRED S. VAN VALKENBURG. WILLIAM D. PERSON.

